Critique please
 

This portrait is driving me nuts. It is unfinished and I need specific help with the lighting. John de la Vega has already been kind enough to help me with the skin tones and I am still working slowly in that direction with my new "old Holland" paints. Thanks John!

I still have two areas of concern.(please excuse the glare effect on the right)

1. I decided to throw a flowing curtain with little detail to make it clear there was an open window. I think this is giving me problems with the values. thoughts?

2. Is the light transition too harsh to the back of the head? Should I throw some reflected light back from something in the room?

http://www.cableone.net/deloid/jillp1_400x394.jpg

A suggestion....
 

I like the curtain and see nothing wrong with it.

I suggest that you lighten the shadow on the side of the nose (away from the light) because it harshly interrupts the "flow of light."

Yes, reflected light would be nice to indicate the back of the head (and maybe touches of it down the whole dark side too).

To make reflected light, I mix any two color opposites (i.e., red/green, purple/yellow, or blue/orange) untill they reach a neutral color. Then I add just enough white (and sometimes a touch of blue)to make the value equal -not lighter- to the shadow the reflected light will appear in.

Reflected light can be tricky to paint as it does not break a shadow and it is important to keep it rich in color without becomeing "dead" or "muddy."

It could be my monitor, but I wonder if the curtain isn't a little too blue and a little too bright? My eyes seem to be drawn to the curtain first and therefore it seems to be upstaging the face. It also seems to be out of color harmony with the rest of the painting. You may want to subdue the curtain slightly. I wonder if introducing some skin tones into it might work, just a thought.

Other then that, I like the portrait alot.

Mary Reilly

I really like the mood that you have set for this painting! It's kind of haunting! The color of the curtain really sparks my interest! I think in adds to the mystery of the darker interior.

I love the handling of the dress. I can't really tell what's going on at the back side of her. Is that area really dark or what?